


come as you are, just as you are

by dare121



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alien Biology, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - With Powers, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Genderqueer Character, Knotting, Medium Burn, Unconventional A/B/O
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:14:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28200711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dare121/pseuds/dare121
Summary: With a slight shrug to her shoulders to work out some imaginary kink, Kara leans back against the counter behind her and watches Deputy Sheriff Alex Danvers sit down in one of the many chairs in their waiting room to fill out a form.Sunshine falls in through the windows, a beam of light crossing her features and leaving another striking impression in Kara’s mind.+++or, ex-military person Alex Danvers starts working in Midvale as the new Deputy Sheriff - and head of the local clinic, Dr. Kara Kent, is trying desperately not to fall in love with her
Relationships: Alex Danvers/Kara Danvers
Comments: 26
Kudos: 253
Collections: Secret Kalex Santa 2020





	come as you are, just as you are

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kryptiao](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kryptiao/gifts).



> HAPPY HOLIDAYS, Y'ALL !!!!
> 
> I'm so glad this exchange exists, because otherwise I probably wouldn't have written anything kalex this year... and what a shame That would have been !!
> 
> I listened to _The Naked and Famous's_ 2020 album _Recover_ the whole time I wrote this... that's where I stole the title from, too
> 
> and especially happy holidays to @Kryptiao, who provided the prompts that birthed this :) ♥
> 
>  **Disclaimer** : This story features Alex being genderqueer and using the pronouns she/they. the story switches between these pronouns frequently and liberally. it's not directly addressed by any of the characters, so just roll with iiiit

With a slight shrug to her shoulders to work out some imaginary kink, Kara leans back against the counter behind her and watches Deputy Sheriff Alex Danvers sit down in one of the many chairs in their waiting room to fill out a form.

Sunshine falls in through the windows, a beam of light crossing her features and leaving another striking impression in Kara’s mind.

“Stop staring, or do you want their hat to catch on fire?” Lucy whispers from behind her, leaning forward in her seat so she’s closer to the side of Kara’s face. She’s quiet enough that none of the people around them can hear her, because while she loves embarrassing Kara in private, she doesn’t want to undermine her position as their town’s most important and prominent doctor.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Kara whispers back, speaking out of the side of her mouth and never taking her eyes off Sheriff Danvers’s striking hazel eyes, which are focused intensely on the stack of papers balanced on their knees. “I’m just assessing the damage to her shoulder before she comes in for her check-up.”

“Hmm,” Lucy hums in mock-agreement, leaning back in her office chair and picking up the paperwork she previously abandoned to tease Kara. Before she can say another word, the phone next to her right hand starts ringing and she picks it up, leaving Kara to her silent musings about the new Sheriff in town.

Only three weeks prior, ex-military person Alex Danvers stepped out of her car and into her new home in Midvale, and Kara hasn’t stopped hearing the gossip about her since. The way she does her job, helps the people in town, and especially how much attention she draws when she works out at their local gym. The fact that she’s gay and apparently unattached doesn’t do much to lessen the talk around town among the womenfolk who are interested. Especially the _omega_ womenfolk.

Kara, who herself enjoys not having to deal with any annoying alphas since her own omega status doesn’t tend to register because of her origin on Krypton and her therefore slightly different scent, is finding herself ever-more intrigued by the new Sheriff every time they interact. Much to her chagrin.

The Sheriff is sweet, hard-working, and mostly keeps to herself.

Running a hand through her hair, Kara finally tears her eyes away, smiles at Lucy one last time, and walks back into her office to wait for the next patient that’s scheduled to come in and see her. It doesn’t do her any good to dwell on things that can and will never be.

+++

Thankfully, Alex’s visit is short. Routine.

She’s already sitting on the examination table with her shirt and bra off, casually leaning back as though her stomach isn’t the most well-defined that Kara has ever seen. There are no more bandages on her shoulder, though a scar remains where the bullet originally penetrated the skin.

“How are you feeling, Sheriff?” Kara asks as she picks up the clipboard that one of her staff have left for her. “Any more unusual pain or stiffening of the muscles? Issues with your firearm?” She looks up just in time to see the Sheriff shake her head.

“Nothing bad to report, Doctor Kent,” Alex replies, their dimples showing when they give Kara a smile. Without a shirt on, their alpha scent swirls more strongly around the room, though it’s clear they’re not trying to project their dominance. It’s a calming smell, much less aggressive than many of the other alphas that Kara has treated over the years. She tries not to let that assessment bother her. “I haven’t overdone it at the gym, like you asked, and I’ve been doing the exercises you recommended.”

“That’s good to hear,” Kara replies, setting aside the clipboard and snapping on a new pair of gloves. “Would you mind if I examined your shoulder again? If all goes well, this might even be your last session here with me.” It’s bittersweet, having to release the Sheriff from her care, but she would never in a million years misuse her license just to enable herself to see Alex every week for the foreseeable future. Not to mention that she can’t afford to let anyone get too close to her, lest they discover her secret identity.

“Go ahead.” Alex replies, sitting up a little straighter and stretching out their arm.

With a nod and a professional smile, Kara steps forward to clasp Alex’s arm in both hands, pressing her fingers into the firm flesh and skin, asking periodically if any of her touches and probes hurt. When she finally makes it to the Sheriff’s shoulder, she notes – like always – how beautifully the skin has healed. Even three weeks ago, the Sheriff’s shoulder looked much worse than this.

Kara has never asked how the Sheriff sustained their injury, because it didn’t feel right to inquire about something so personal when the two of them hardly know each other. But she can’t say she isn’t curious. She wonders, sometimes, if the Sheriff took fire in a noble and heroic situation, where they jumped in front of a bullet to save someone. Or if it was something as mundane as an accident on the military base where the Sheriff used to live.

“It’s remarkable how well this healed,” Kara comments absentmindedly as she finishes her examination. “It truly is amazing, the things the human body can withstand.” She herself, of course, will never know such pain herself. Not on this planet, under this sun. Sometimes, she wonders if this is why she became a doctor in the first place, while her cousin decided to take on a different profession altogether with his journalism career.

“We sure are made of tough stuff,” Alex agrees, jumping off the examination table as soon as Kara indicates she’s finished. She shrugs on her bra, giving no indication that her shoulder is a bother to her, and Kara is glad to see it. “So, how is it looking? Did I pass?”

With a smile, Kara writes down a few words on the chart and nods softly.

“I am giving you my official seal of approval,” she says, putting down the chart and walking over to the desk in the corner to type a few words on the keyboard of the computer on top of it. “I’d still recommend keeping up the exercises I showed you, but at this point it’s really up to you.” She turns back just in time to catch the Sheriff before she’s fully finished buttoning up her shirt. Her fingers are strong and nimble, making quick work of the buttons, and Kara wishes her eyes weren’t as powerful as they are as they take in every flick of the wrist and turn of a thumb.

“Thanks, Doctor Kent,” Alex says with a smile as they place their hat on top of their head, their dark auburn hair as neat as the rest of them. The Sheriff’s uniform looks freshly starched, their pants perfectly pressed and their shoes seem just shined. Altogether, they make an altogether too handsome alpha. “Thank you for taking such good care of me.”

With a swallow, Kara manages a smile of her own.

She wants to make a flippant comment about it being her job but bites her tongue instead and acknowledges the comment with a dip of her head as she walks to the door.

“Just try not to get shot again, yes?” she says instead, pushing down the handle and opening the door to the hallway. “I’d hate to have to pull you from duty. The city might not survive.” She spots Lucy at the end of the hall, leading another person to the next examination room, and Kara knows she must look flustered.

“If all else fails, National City can always send over Supergirl,” Alex replies kindly, before tipping her hat and walking away. “Have a good day now, doctor.”

“You too, Sheriff,” Kara says, before heading in the other direction.

+++

The first time Kara sees Sheriff Danvers, she’s just come from a quick rescue job in National City. Her hands are covered in soot in certain places and her sweater is ever so slightly askew, her hair a complete mess. She’s just about managed to wrangle it into a ponytail when she rounds a corner and runs straight into another person.

Since she’s basically made of steel, she doesn’t stumble, but the other person still tries to steady her.

“I’m so sorry,” the other person says, keeping their hands steady on Kara’s arms. “Are you okay?”

Hazel eyes look up at her with concern, and a wide-brimmed hat is taken off in a show of respect as soon as Kara nods to indicate that she isn’t hurt.

“I’m fine,” Kara says for good measure, taking in the Sheriff’s uniform and insignia on the other person’s chest. “How about you? I don’t believe we’ve met.” Her professional side is the only thing that keeps her afloat in a sea of emotions as she slowly becomes aware of a sweet scent curling around her nose. It doesn’t help that she was just about to head into the grocery store just a stone’s throw away from her house and hasn’t bothered to put on her best clothes between the rescue and the grocery run. “I’m Doctor Kara Kent. I run the local clinic.”

The other woman nods and takes Kara’s outstretched hand in a firm shake.

“I just got here about two days ago. Deputy Sheriff Alex Danvers. It’s good to meet you. Hank has told me that you run a tight shop over on Cottonwood,” she says, and Kara remembers Lucy telling her about the new person in town that has everyone in a tizzy over who they’ll eventually decide to settle down with.

“Not as tight a ship as him,” Kara says with a smile, surreptitiously wiping the back of her left hand on the back of her pants to get off some of the soot. Their hands separate, and Kara swears that if her hands had the ability to sweat, they would.

She hasn’t seen a chin and jawline that chiseled for a while.

+++

After her last examination with the Sheriff, it takes two full days for the two of them to see each other again, and it’s under different circumstances than Kara is used to. Sometimes, because their town is so small, Kara is called to accident scenes, which is usually where she sees Alex outside of their check-ups. Other than that, they sometimes run into each other at the Sheriff’s station when Kara swings by to say hello to J’onn or to bring him Oreos.

Tonight, Alex is out of uniform and Kara isn’t prepared for the visual. Her uniform already does wonders for her, but now she’s clad in a tightly fitting white button-down and washed out jeans that cling to her muscled thighs. Her shoes are all harsh edges, just like her jaw.

Kara, who herself is wearing a simple yellow sundress and open-toed sandals, sits in the opposite corner of the restaurant, watching as Alex sits down next to fellow Deputy Sheriff Maggie Sawyer at the bar and orders a beer.

“This might be the best Tea Dance we’ve ever had,” Lucy announces, right before she lifts her glass. “To us! And to this glorious goddamn summer party!” Her scent swirls pleasantly around Kara, whose nose recognizes it as _pack._ It’s a concept foreign to humans, but one that Kara cherishes from Krypton. She remembers the safety of her pack. Her mom’s and her Aunt Astra’s presence especially.

“Aye,” Kara agrees, raising her own glass and clinking it to Lucy’s the same moment as Winn and Siobhan. She hasn’t seen Lucy this relaxed since James moved back to National City to move in with Lois and Clark, and she can’t help but press a kiss to her friend’s cheek.

With a laugh, Lucy returns the favor.

“Stop flirting with me,” she jokes, her arm sliding around Kara’s shoulders. “Just kidding. Never stop.”

Leaning her head against Lucy’s and taking a generous sip of her champagne, Kara lets her eyes wander the restaurant again, trying to convince herself she’s not looking for the Sheriff. She spots them, still sitting at the bar, laughing and chatting with Maggie, seemingly oblivious to the way every unattached omega is staring at them.

Taking a deep breath, Kara picks up on the keynotes of Alex’s musk, and looks back at her glass. When she raises her eyes, they meet Siobhan’s, who is smirking at her. Having been caught, Kara pouts at her friend and readjusts her glasses.

“Don’t even,” Kara threatens, but it’s too late. Siobhan is already on her feet. “Oh, my sweet Jesus Rao.” She wants to bury her face in her hands, but instead she watches transfixed as Siobhan glides through the room, her body very nicely accentuated by her small black dress and high stilettos. Her alpha aura turns several heads and Kara pinches the bridge of her nose as Siobhan slides her arm through Maggie’s and looks at Alex suggestively.

“I love that woman,” Lucy announces, squeezing Kara’s shoulder.

“Love is not the word I was thinking of,” Kara replies, finishing her champagne in a single swallow, even though it won’t do anything for her. She has a limited supply of alien alcohol in her house, but she hasn’t bothered to bring any tonight. Foolishly, she didn’t anticipate the Sheriff to attend the town’s most successful summer bash.

“Aw, come on,” Winn tries to encourage her, his tie a little crooked after three glasses of bubbly. “The two of you would be so cute together.” He leans his chin on his hand and sighs softly. “Sheriff and doctor. Tale as old as time.”

Scowling, Kara pushes his elbow out from under him, making him yelp.

+++

By the time Siobhan returns, Kara has managed to quiet her friends back down, not to mention her own wayward heart. She doesn’t even do anything embarrassing when Siobhan casually mentions that Alex should sit next to Kara, even though the bench Kara and Lucy are sitting on isn’t really designed to seat more than two.

It’s how they end up sitting shoulder to shoulder with their thighs pressed together while Kara desperately tries to ignore the way Alex’s gentle alpha scent laps at her, like waves upon a shore. She blames her reaction on how long it’s been since she last had time for an extended session of self-love.

“This year sure is something else,” Maggie says, sipping on her beer and leaning back in her chair so she’s turned towards Siobhan. Her own alpha scent is pleasant, too, though not nearly as enticing as Sheriff Danvers’s. “I feel like the whole town’s decided to come ‘round this time.” She slides her hand onto the back of Siobhan’s chair, almost too casually to be casual, and Kara wishes she could snigger into her fresh glass of champagne without it being too obvious.

Maybe Siobhan’s antics weren’t entirely for Kara’s sake.

“Is it not always this full?” Sheriff Danvers asks, cradling their beer on the table. Their shoulder rubs against Kara’s and she tries to ignore the way her own body recognizes the Sheriff’s heat signature as just right for a mate. A part of her wants to make an excuse and get up to go to the bathroom, but she doesn’t know how she would justify sitting somewhere else after her return without it seeming weird.

“Nah,” Maggie replies, running a hand through her hair.

“Maybe it’s because last year, Supergirl showed up to help with a massive pile-up just out of town,” Siobhan offers, lifting one of her shoulders in a shrug. “Afterwards, she came by for a drink. It was a whole thing.”

“Oh yeah?” Alex lets go of her beer and lays both hands on her jeans, one of them dangerously close to Kara’s thigh. She doesn’t make contact, and it doesn’t feel deliberate, but Kara can’t help but notice the proximity of her pinky finger. “Must have been one hell of a pile-up for her to leave National City.”

“It was bad,” Winn agrees, sending Kara a sly look. “She hasn’t been back since, though.”

“Too bad,” Maggie remarks, causing Kara’s eyes to shoot up and away from Alex’s left hand. “I wouldn’t mind seeing her more often.” She smirks at Siobhan, who looks equally mischievous. Aside from Lucy and Winn, nobody in town knows that Kara is Supergirl, not even Siobhan, who hangs out with them often enough to make it a little bit ridiculous that she’s not been told. “She’s such a snack.”

The whole table erupts into sniggers, whereas Kara tries not to blush.

“Sawyer, you’re awful,” Sheriff Danvers remarks, shaking her head and rolling her eyes. “You couldn’t handle Supergirl if you _tried._ She’d snap you like a twig.” The confidence with which she speaks about Kara’s alter ego has Kara more than a little flustered.

“And what makes you think I wouldn’t _want_ that?” Sheriff Sawyer replies haughtily, and Lucy laughs harder than anyone at her candor, slinging her arm around Kara’s neck and dragging her into a side hug that makes Kara’s arm rub against Alex’s in all manner of uncomfortable ways.

“Awful,” Alex reiterates, though there’s a smile on their lips. “Just awful.”

Thankfully, the conversation strays away from Supergirl after that, and Kara feels herself relax again, especially once Alex moves her left hand back to her beer and crosses her legs. As soon as their legs are no longer pressed together, Kara feels like she can breathe again.

Taking a sip of her champagne, she leans back and listens to the conversations around her, knowing it will be a long and interesting night.

+++

“How’s your shoulder?” Kara asks a few hours later. They’ve left the restaurant as a group so Maggie and Siobhan can have a smoke outside. It’s turned dark, but the lights from the restaurant and the streetlamps illuminate their forms. Lucy and Winn stand huddled together, whispering about something or other, while Sheriff Danvers and Kara lean against the brick wall of the restaurant.

It probably won’t be long until they all part ways.

“Good,” the Sheriff replies, stuffing their hands into the pockets of their jeans. Their profile is striking in the artificial light, and Kara wishes she didn’t feel this way. She doesn’t have time for a crush. “Couldn’t have asked for a better doctor.” They lean over to nudge Kara’s shoulder with their own, and Kara lets out a gentle laugh.

“Your surgeon did all the hard work,” Kara deflects, her eyes lingering on Alex’s left shoulder. Her scar is hidden by the fabric of her shirt, but Kara knows every line of it. She’s examined it enough times. “You wouldn’t believe some of the shoddy stitching I’ve seen.”

“Guess I got lucky twice with my docs,” Sheriff Danvers counters with a lazy smile that has Kara half-convinced she’s being flirted with. Which would be a disaster, because while she can deal with a silly crush, if there were reciprocation on the Sheriff’s side, she wouldn’t know what to do.

Before Kara can say anything awkward, Lucy turns to her, and Kara knows what her friend is about to say before she even opens her mouth.

“Do you guys want to go to Megan’s place?”

And Kara doesn’t say no.

+++

She somehow ends up squeezed in next to Sheriff Danvers again, who orders themself another beer as soon as they get there. It’s only their third, and Kara can only detect the barest hint of the alcohol in their sweat and scent. It gives them a slightly bitter note that, strangely, only adds to their attractive palette.

M’gann waves to their party as they enter, and Kara gives her a look that M’gann catches all too easily. At this bar, at least, there will be alcohol that Kara can actually feel the effects of after a few glasses. Maybe it’s not the best idea, but she’s never been known for making the best decisions in situations that make her uncomfortable.

At some point after their arrival, Alex’s arm ends up on the back of the booth, her fingers resting just behind Kara’s shoulder but never directly touching her. Kara drowns her feelings in Almeracian wine and can’t decide if Sheriff Danvers’s move is deliberately meant to unsettle and entice her.

After Kara’s third glass, she leans in closer to listen to a story that Alex is telling her and lays her hand on the Sheriff’s knee. Even without her super senses, she’s close enough to smell the beer on Alex’s breath as they recount a tale from their last military base. All the air in the bar seems to have been sucked out and replaced by gentle alpha pheromones.

If there’s one thing to be said about the night, it’s that Kara doesn’t find out what Sheriff Danvers tastes like only because she’s a Kryptonian and she’s been raised to respect the pack. If not, maybe she would have followed them to the bathroom and taken them into her mouth right then and there.

But she doesn’t.

+++

The following week, Kara does everything within her power to avoid running into Sheriff Danvers.

She doesn’t take her morning walk past the station; she doesn’t stop by her favorite donut shop; she doesn’t call J’onn just to see how he’s doing; she doesn’t even go grocery shopping when she sees the Sheriff’s cruiser standing out front.

So far, she’s gotten away with her little disappearing act, too. Not even Lucy has noticed that she’s been taking alternate routes through town.

But some things, even those that we can control, inevitably come to an end.

It’s Thursday night by the time Kara sees them again.

She’s close to closing up the clinic; Lucy has gone home hours ago, leaving Kara to fend for herself doing inventory and staying on call just in case there’s an incident in town. She’s gone off on Supergirl duty twice so far; once to put out a burning building in National City’s suburbs, and once to stop a burglar from shooting up a gas station.

Music is playing softly from a stereo to her right as she goes through the medicine cabinet in her office. Humming along, she almost doesn’t notice the car pulling into the parking lot of her clinic, but when the door to the car slams shut, she turns away from the cabinet and makes her way out into the waiting room.

She smells her before she sees her.

Only, there’s more than her pheromones.

“Sheriff?” Kara asks with some alarm when she spies a bloody cloth wrapped around Sheriff Danvers’s left hand. “What happened?” Kara has a police scanner, but it’s tuned to the National City frequency. Usually, if something truly bad happens, Hank calls her, but clearly this either didn’t qualify, or he’s not at the station.

“Just a drunk and disorderly with a knife,” Alex reassures her, clearly trying to keep the blood from dripping on their uniform. “I wasn’t sure if you’d still be here, but I had to give it a shot.” Their face is flush with adrenaline, and Kara quickly walks to them and grabs their elbow to escort them to examination room one.

“My number is always out front at the clinic door,” Kara tells them as she pushes them into a desk chair, rather than having them sit up on an examination table. “We can put it in your phone after I’ve sown you up.”

“Sounds good,” Alex agrees, wincing slightly when Kara pulls away their makeshift bandage to reveal the gash underneath. A quick x-ray reveals that it’s not too deep and hasn’t cut any of the Sheriff’s tendons. It’s a relief.

“We should administer local anesthetic,” Kara mutters to herself as she flies around the room. Figuratively, not literally, though she’s sorely tempted to speed up the process. “I’ll drive you home. You obviously can’t drive with a numb hand… How did you even get here?”

Pulling up a stool, Kara snaps on gloves before taking Alex’s hand into both of hers.

“Maybe I shouldn’t tell you,” Alex says, looking a little sheepish. Her scent is marred with stress, and Kara finds herself reaching out with her own, even though it’s risky. Every human she’s ever met has had a different reaction to her calming pheromones, but she’s never met one who wasn’t at least _confused._

She can tell when Alex starts to smell her, because her pupils blow wide open and her jaw drops, her heartbeat speeding up rather than stilling as Kara had hoped. It’s a reaction she hasn’t anticipated, and regret settles into her bones as she starts to smell something new and entirely too tempting. _Arousal._ Her scent has certainly never produced _that_ before in a human.

“It’s okay,” Kara tells her softly as she administers the local anesthetic. “We’ll have this patched up in no time.”

“Yeah,” Sheriff Danvers says, looking a little embarrassed as they clear their throat and look away from Kara and what she’s doing. “Thank you for doing me—this, the—the stitches. Thanks.” It’s so odd to see the strong and stoic Sheriff anything other than laid back and cool that Kara can’t help but pause and take in the blush on their cheeks.

Her scent did that.

Her _scent_ did _that._

Oh no.

“Of course,” Kara says, immediately pulling back her scent, but she can tell that it’s already futile. Her expectation was that she would keep Alex distracted from the pain and adrenaline, not that she would leave her with a different sort of uncomfortable situation. She purposefully doesn’t look at the Sheriff’s crotch. “You know you can come here anytime, if you need anything.”

Quickly disinfecting the cut and cleaning the edges, Kara does her very best to ignore the way Alex’s alpha scent calls back to her, stronger than usual due to the clear interest she can smell in it. A glance up at the Sheriff’s face shows that they’re staring at the ceiling with their jaw clenched and with an unhappy twist around their mouth.

She wants to apologize but isn’t sure how to do that without humiliating her new friend.

Despite her best efforts, she ends up working in silence.

+++

“Keep it bandaged and dry for at least twenty-four to forty-eight hours,” Kara says as she puts the finishing touches on her paperwork for Alex’s file. “You might want to forgo showering for two days, but if you feel like you can’t wait, either keep your hand out of the shower the whole time or wrap it up tight in a plastic bag. I do _not_ want you to get it wet.” 

Kara tries not to imagine other ways Alex could get their hand wet.

“Understood,” the Sheriff replies, tugging at the bandage around their hand, which is nearly enough to give Kara an aneurysm. Dropping the ballpoint pen she was holding onto her desk, she reaches out to still Alex’s hands.

Suddenly, they’re very close, and Kara can see the way the pulse in the Sheriff’s neck starts to jump. She’s taller than them, and it would be easy to dip down and kiss them. She contemplates what sound Alex would make when she’s pressed against the desk.

The thoughts startle Kara, and she drops her hands.

“Don’t move it around too much,” she says after clearing her throat and takes a decisive step away and out of the Sheriff’s personal space. “If there are any adverse changes, come into the clinic or call me.”

With a nod, Sheriff Danvers watches as Kara packs up the last of her things.

“You don’t have to drive me home,” they say, holding their hand to their chest and following Kara’s movements around the office. If Alex had not shown up here, Kara would simply flown herself home, leaving her car behind in the parking lot, so it really makes no difference to her. She doesn’t comment on it for obvious reasons, but a part of her wonders if Alex’s alpha pride has been hurt and that is why they don’t want Kara to take care of them. Kara hasn’t judged Alex to be that type of alpha, but she hasn’t spent nearly enough time with them to be sure.

“I told you, I’m not letting you drive with a numb hand,” Kara says, phrasing it purposefully like a command to see how her new friend will react. If there will be anger on her striking face, marring it with the alpha behavior that Kara is sadly used to from most humans.

What she sees, instead, is a pretty blush on the Sheriff’s cheeks.

Another moment passes, in which Kara moves some papers on her desk that she doesn’t need to take home. Just for something to do as she waits for Alex’s response. By human standards, Kara knows she acts out of line for an omega more often than not, but it’s not her fault that human society isn’t as progressive as Krypton’s, and she has no desire to curb herself in order to protect some alpha’s ego. Even if that alpha looks good enough to eat.

Then, finally, Alex clears their throat.

“I haven’t tidied,” they say, sticking their right hand into the pocket of their uniform pants.

Something heavy loosens in Kara’s chest as she realizes that Alex’s reluctance has nothing to do with any sort of ego. She feels the urge to giggle, but she doesn’t want to offend the Sheriff, so she reins herself in as best she can.

With a smile, she grabs her bag with one hand while gesturing to the door with the other.

“I do house calls sometimes. Trust me, there’s nothing I haven’t seen,” Kara offers as she follows the Sheriff from the room, hoping to allay their worries. “If it works for you, you will find no judgement here. Unless you sleep with your socks on, there’s nothing that offends me.”

It garners a chuckle, and Kara thinks they’ve weathered the storm.

For now.

+++

Pulling up outside of the Sheriff’s house, Kara parks the cruiser in front of the garage and turns her head, expecting Alex to be reaching for the door handle to the passenger side. What she finds, however, is Alex with her eyes turned towards her, a strange look on her face.

The ceiling light in the cruiser illuminates the concerned twist of her mouth, and Kara feels temporarily out of breath.

“We’re here,” Kara says unhelpfully, letting go of the steering wheel and unsure what to do with her hands afterwards. But Alex doesn’t move. Her injured hand is in her lap, and her brows are furrowed. She doesn’t look angry, at least.

“Kara,” she starts, a hint of question in her tone. “Can I ask you something?”

They’ve spent most of the drive here in silence, though Kara thought it to be comfortable.

She swallows thickly, the car slowly filling with Alex’s curious pheromones.

“Of course,” Kara replies, turning more of her body towards the Sheriff, whose uninjured hand is balled into a fist on their thigh. They don’t seem upset, either, but there’s something decidedly unsettling about the rigidity in their shoulders. “Are you alright?”

Alex nods and runs a hand through their hair.

“I wanted to ask before we go inside,” Alex says, her eyes seeking out her front door. “Just in case you want to drive to your own place.” Is that pain Kara sees in her expression? She’s not sure. Whatever it is Alex wants to say, she seems to be struggling with it, and Kara’s heart aches for her. She wants to broadcast her calming pheromones again, but after last time… it’s not a good idea.

“I don’t think I’m supposed to take the Sheriff’s cruiser for a spin,” Kara says, trying to lighten the mood in the car. It doesn’t produce the desired effect of a smile. There’s something new in Alex’s scent, something spicy and inviting.

The light in the cruiser turns itself off, signaling it’s been stationary for too long and assumes its occupants have vacated its innards. It leaves Alex’s face cast in shadows, save for the streetlamps behind them, and Kara finds herself thrown back to the previous week, where the two of them stood in front of the restaurant and shared a few quiet moments.

“I wanted to talk to you about something personal,” Alex starts a little haltingly, keeping their face turned towards the house. Their posture is purposefully unthreatening, Kara realizes, and she appreciates that an alpha like Alex would consider how this approach would make them appear. “I don’t want to overstep, but I’ve been driving myself a little crazy.”

Kara knows what’s coming before Alex even says the words.

“I like you, Kara, and I wanted to ask if you wanted to go on a date with me sometime.” Finally, they look at Kara, who feels like a deer stuck in the headlights. This is exactly what she did _not_ want to happen – with anyone. “If I’m reading the situation completely wrong, please tell me. Maybe I’m making it all up in my head, but…”

Heart aching, Kara can’t stand the distance anymore and reaches out to lay her hand on Alex’s wrist.

“You’re not,” she says, careful to keep her tone kind. “I like you, too.” The hope she sees in the Sheriff’s face as it opens up into a hesitant smile almost kills Kara, especially when she feels Alex’s uninjured hand covers hers on her wrist. It’s warm and gentle and Kara knows she could love this person. She knows it in the core of her. “But I can’t go on a date with you.”

Hope is replaced with hurt and then with acceptance before Kara can so much as blink.

“There’s someone else?” Alex asks, an understanding expression covering her mouth and eyebrows, and Kara feels sick.

“No,” she says, removing her hand from under Alex’s fingers, though it’s the last thing she wants. “I just don’t have the time to date. I barely have enough time to eat between shifts at the clinic, let alone devote as much time to a relationship as I would want to. That wouldn’t be fair to you.”

It sounds like an excuse, and a bad one at that, but Alex – apparent angel alpha that they are – doesn’t call her on it. In truth, Kara barely has enough time for the clinic, considering her Supergirl duties, but she can’t very well say that to a virtual stranger she’s known for a couple of months. She only told Lucy and Winn because she needed help getting the whole Supergirl stint off the ground.

And she just knows, that if she were to date Sheriff Danvers, there would be no way to hide her alienness. Her different scent is bad enough and were she to prolong Alex’s exposure to it, her new friend would realize quickly that _human_ omegas do not smell like wild revenge or intergalactic levels of sol’s power. And then there’s the other stuff. The sex stuff.

“I understand,” Alex says with a sad smile.

They don’t push, and Kara finally nods with a sad smile of her own and opens the door of the cruiser.

+++

Kara tries to sleep on the couch.

She could simply fly herself back to her own house, but she’s not sure how to explain that to Alex, not when the whole point of not dating her is to avoid Kara’s own exposure as Supergirl. Walking home as a human would be stupid and dangerous, especially since there aren’t any night buses in Midvale, and pretending to have gotten a taxi would just be rude.

So, Kara resolves herself to her fate and tucks her face into a set of pillows and blankets that Alex has brought to her. They’re freshly washed, having only just been removed from the linen closet in the hall, but Kara can smell her new friend on the sheets just the same.

Cursing her superior Kryptonian senses, Kara breathes in deep against her better judgement and allows herself a moment of wallowing.

Maybe, if she had said yes to Alex’s date idea, she would be up on the second floor right now, tucked away in Alex’s arms, safe and warm in her bed. There wouldn’t be any untoward touches; only the knowledge that she is accepted and _liked._

And now she’s down here instead.

“And whose fault is that?” she mutters to herself, turning onto her back and staring up at Alex’s dark ceiling. With a big scowl, Kara drags the blanket overtop her head and cocoons herself into a ball of Alex’s soothing alpha scent. Because while Krypton may have evolved past the need for alphas to protect and care for omegas, sometimes Kara enjoys being hypocritical.

Tonight is just one of those nights.

+++

The morning after isn’t nearly as awkward as Kara fears it to be, but that is entirely due to Alex being a much bigger person than Kara has ever met before. While Kara knows that her friend must be disappointed at the rejection, the Sheriff treats her with the same level of friendly respect and drives her home before leaving for their shift.

And although Kara knows she’s done the right thing, she can’t help herself from watching the cruiser pull away and listen to Alex’s heartbeat as she rounds a corner and disappears from view.

It’s a shit start to the day.

+++

Three weeks later, Kara feels no better about the situation.

Alex has come to see her after two to get the stitches in their hand removed, but they were as pleasant as always, and Kara must admit that a part of her feels disappointed that Alex is respecting her wishes. They haven’t even tried to get in contact outside of work, even though they now have Kara’s number. Granted, Kara programmed it in for medical emergencies, but lesser people would have stooped to using it for other means. And Kara can’t say she would have minded.

Kara knows it’s the right decision to keep her distance. She doesn’t have time for a relationship; she can’t afford to reveal herself to the wrong person; she wouldn’t be able to give Alex the attention she so clearly deserves.

And yet, she finds herself looking for the Sheriff in crowds of people, hopes to catch a glimpse of her at the station whenever she stops by to see J’onn. It’s destructive and foolish, especially because it will likely only be a matter of time until Alex will settle down with someone else.

Despite everything, Kara doesn’t tell Lucy. She can’t handle the reprimand. Or worse, the well-meaning words of reassurance that dating wouldn’t be the worst thing. To give Sheriff Danvers a chance and see how it goes.

Because Kara remembers many a potential relationship that fell apart when Kara couldn’t keep appointments; or had to leave in the middle of a date; or when she didn’t want to have sex for fear of exposing her origins on Krypton.

She doesn’t need that kind of heartbreak again.

She’ll settle for the longing.

+++

Until, that is, Kara finds herself shot.

+++

A bright morning greets Kara when she pulls back the curtains and looks to the sky.

It’s barely six in the morning and the sun is rising, ready to warm Kara’s Kryptonian body and lend her its strength. She’s never taken Sol for granted, especially not on days where she remembers most achingly how it feels to have solar flared.

These days, she feels mostly like her soul has exhausted itself, much more than her body. She hasn’t had to fight a Supergirl-level threat in a couple of months. No fellow Kryptonians, no radioactive men seeking vengeance for the crimes of her parents, no other intergalactic villains who want to see the last of the Kryptonians brought to their knees.

Usually, she takes her coffee with three sugars, but today she takes it with five. She feels like she needs the sugar, especially since she’s been invited to the town hall and its annual Summer Solstice Festival. Sheriff Danvers will be there, too, as will the rest of the Sheriff’s department, and she’s not prepared to see Alex out of uniform again.

At six thirty, she leaves home and flies to the clinic, where she’s left her car the night before.

The morning is quiet – as quiet as a small town with only one hospital can be – and Kara finds herself bored for most of it. Bored and anxious. How that works out, she’s not sure, but she almost breaks to talk to Lucy, before thinking better of it. At this point, Lucy will be mad that Kara hasn’t told her about Alex’s confession weeks ago, and she doesn’t need the additional stress.

Stewing in her own thoughts, she leaves the clinic around noon to make her way to the festival, choosing to walk there rather than to fly.

Town hall isn’t far, and she almost makes it there in under ten minutes.

It’s already in view, and she can see the colorful streamers out front, when she gets a call. Slipping her phone from the pocket of her jeans, Kara looks down at the display, curious to see Sheriff Danvers’s name.

“Sheriff?” Kara asks as soon as she picks up, already fearing the worst. “Are you alright?”

Alex’s voice is friendly and warm when she replies, and the hand that was busy squeezing Kara’s heart loosens.

“Yeah, Hank just asked me if I should pick you up from the clinic,” Sheriff Danvers asks, their voice distorted slightly by a bad connection. They’re either in a building with thick walls, or standing in the middle of Midvale’s only park, a place where the radio towers have trouble reaching.

“It’s so sweet of you to ask, but I’m already at the town hall,” Kara replies, letting her free hand glide along the brick wall of the alley she’s traversing. She wants to prolong the interaction and feels guilty for it at the same time. “I walked here.”

“I’m there, too,” Alex replies, and suddenly Kara sees them exiting the building through the front door, their gaze sweeping the area. Their entrance is such a delight and such a distraction, that Kara only notices the way their face lights up into a smile as soon as they spot Kara. They’re out of uniform, just as Kara hoped and dreaded, and Kara’s ears immediately zero in on their heartbeat.

“Are the decorations up to snuff this year?” Kara asks, hoping to catch a hint of Alex’s pheromones on the wind.

Alex looks poised to respond, but then her face morphs from one of happy anticipation to one of shock.

And before Kara knows what’s happening, Alex is running, and there’s the cocking of a gun barrel behind her, and then the world turns black.

+++

“Kara!”

+++

Consciousness creeps back slowly.

There are yells of her name, she thinks. Or maybe they’re whispers. She’s not quite sure.

There is definitely warmth on her cheeks. Skin? Palms?

“Kara!” the voice says again, and Kara furrows her brows as the world in front of her slowly swims back into focus. There’s an uncomfortable pressing on her chest, like someone has placed a heavy Kandorian steel beam on it. “Fuck, fuck, fuck. Who the fuck am I supposed to call when you’re the one who’s been _shot?!”_

Alex’s face flashes back and forth, and Kara looks down herself, only to see a red stain.

“Stop moving, fuck,” Alex says, pressing her hands on Kara’s chest. “I need to call for help.”

Reaching out with her hand, Kara grabs Alex’s wrist and squeezes. Not hard enough to snap anything, but hard enough to catch their attention.

“Lucy,” she croaks, her lungs feeling full of concrete. “Hank. Only Lucy and Hank.”

Sheriff Danvers scowls.

“You need an ambulance,” they insist, their hands slippery with blood as they fumble for their phone.

Kara squeezes their wrist a little harder and unleashes the full brunt of her Kryptonian pheromones, and Alex gasps. This time, Kara _isn’t_ trying to calm. She’s trying to project the full power of her extinct race to make Alex see. And something shifts, some understanding takes place that Kara can feel as Alex’s pheromones react to hers, winding around her and equally trying to soothe her pain.

“Lucy and Hank,” Alex agrees, and Kara hopes against hope that no one else will enter or leave the town hall until this whole mess has been cleared up.

Maybe for once, she’ll get lucky.

+++

Kryptonite.

 _Of course_ it’s Kryptonite.

What else could it have been?

The removal of the bullet is grueling, especially since there’s no Kryptonian anesthesia at the ready for Kara to place herself under. She’s not perfectly clear on how she ends up in her house, or how J’onn and Lucy manage to make it there so quickly.

All she knows is that Alex is sitting at her bedside while J’onn works on her, pumping out calming pheromones and squeezing her hand as best she can. It’s a good distraction, mainly because Kara has to try very hard not to crush the Sheriff’s fingers.

“Hold on, Kara,” Alex whispers throughout, looking on the verge of losing all composure.

And where did that gun come from anyway?

Who would shoot Kara? Not Supergirl. _Kara?_

And why didn’t Kara hear them?

Her mind overflows with questions she’s not sure she’ll ever be able to answer.

At some point, she passes out from the pain, but it’s but a brief respite.

Because the last thing that she realizes before she loses consciousness, is that it will be really hard to explain the lack of a scar on her chest the next time she sees Alex. Or why she will have healed in less time than it takes for a turkey to be cooked to perfection.

+++

As soon as she wakes, she knows she’s fine.

The pressure on her chest is gone, the unspeakable burning vanquishes by the tides of time and the rays of the sun. When she lays a hand to the space where she knows the bullet to have hit her, she feels nothing but unblemished Kryptonian skin.

It feels like a dream.

Is it still today? Is it still the Summer Solstice?

Sitting up, Kara notes two things.

One, her cardigan is on the floor, but she’s still wearing her plaid button-down. Two, there’s a gentle alpha snoozing half on her bed.

Sheriff Danvers’s butt is parked in Kara’s big armchair that she usually keeps in front of the window, and her upper body is curled protectively over the edge of the bed, one of her hands curled around the blanket that’s been wrapped around Kara’s legs.

Furrowing her brows, Kara touches her chest again.

“Alex?” she asks softly, reaching out and laying her hand on the Sheriff’s shoulder.

Like they’ve been zapped by lightning, Alex rights themself with a start. Their eyes are only half-open, still mainly claimed by sleep, but their posture indicates alertness that only years of military training can leave behind on a person’s psyche.

“Kara?” they ask, rubbing their eyes quickly with one hand while running a hand through their hair with the other. “How are you feeling?” Blinking sleepily, their gaze drifts to Kara’s sternum, and their expression shifts to one of disbelief. “It—”

“I’m fine,” Kara offers, pulling her knees to her chest and curling both arms around them. “I heal fast.”

The Kryptonite hasn’t left her unmarked, at least emotionally. There’s mental exhaustion to go along with her body’s apparent well-being, and she wonders if Alex can smell it on her. The toll that the radioactive substance from her home planet takes on her every time she’s exposed to it. How it seems to take more of her little by little.

“You—” Alex starts, reaching out with her hand, as though to ensure herself she isn’t dreaming, before pulling away again. “Can I ask how?”

It’s a gentle question. Curious, but not demanding. Honest, but lacking ulterior motive. Like she will accept whatever answer Kara wants to give her. It makes Kara ache, but it also makes her feel safe. Maybe she won’t tell Alex that she’s Supergirl, but… maybe…

Taking a deep breath, Kara sets her chin on the top of her knees and gives Alex a mournful look.

“You know that Supergirl is an alien, right?” she asks, voice quiet and reserved. When Alex nods, Kara looks at her own feet. “Well, I’m one, too.”

She doesn’t want to see the moment of realization. If there were to be even a moment of disgust on their face, Kara doesn’t know what she would do. She’s not embarrassed to be from another world; she’s proud to be a Kryptonian. But humanity has softened her, softened her emotions, and she knows she’s not insusceptible to fear.

Only when Alex reaches out to her and touches her shin does she look up.

“Thank you for telling me,” Alex says sincerely, reaching out again with their scent. It’s not at all overwhelming, and Kara finds herself closing her eyes and breathing it in to steady herself. She’s an alien; she’s a refugee from Krypton; she’s accepted.

“Too bad it took me getting shot for you to find out,” Kara mumbles, sneaking a quick glance at Alex’s handsome face. Her new friend is smiling.

“I don’t blame you,” Alex replies, moving from the armchair to the bed and nudging Kara’s knee with her shoulder. “I can’t imagine how terrifying it must be to live with a secret like that. Humans aren’t exactly the most accepting bunch in the universe.”

“Yeah,” Kara replies, nudging her glasses back with the back of her hand. “Guess one of those humans wasn’t thrilled with my alien existence. Or, I don’t know, maybe they just hated this cardigan. Ms. Grant keeps telling me not to wear stuff like this. I should listen to her more often.”

It’s an attempt at humor, but it doesn’t seem to land quite how she wants it to.

“I assume Lucy and Hank both know about you?” Alex asks, looking suddenly serious and like they have a plan of some sort. A dangerous plan that Kara feels she should put a stop to before she stops being the only one who’s been hurt. “Who else could possibly have figured it out?”

Lifting her head, Kara looks sternly at the Sheriff.

“You will _not_ go looking for whoever shot me,” Kara tells them, putting on her best disapproving expression. “I’m fine, you hear me? I’m _fine._ You don’t need to stir up some probably fascist alien-hater group or person.”

Twisting her mouth into a defiant line, Alex shrugs.

“They hurt my friend. I can’t let them get away with that,” she asserts, the cut of her jaw looking sharp and angry in the light that shines in from the bedroom window. A muscle jumps under the strain, and Kara can’t stop herself from reaching out and stroking the skin there.

“And what if your friend asked you to drop it, because she doesn’t want to lose you?” Kara whispers, feeling her chest tighten for a different reason than a gun shot. She hears Alex’s heartbeat speed up and sees their eyes flit down to Kara’s lips.

“I don’t want to lose you, either,” Alex counters sweetly.

Sliding her thumb along the Sheriff’s cheek, Kara leans her face closer. Inch by agonizing inch. Is Alex moving closer, too? Kara can hardly tell. Her brain feels foggy with emotion; too much emotion for one lone Kryptonian to handle.

“You don’t have to worry about me,” Kara promises, her breath ghosting across Alex’s lips.

It’s a bad idea. All of this is a bad idea.

Her nose bumps ever so gently against Alex’s.

Then, the door opens, and Lucy walks in.

+++

Kara can move faster than the speed of sound, and yet she’s been caught unawares twice within the same twenty-four hours. It must be some kind of record and she wants this losing streak to _end._ Especially if she misses out on kisses and emotional satisfaction in spite of her own morals in front of Lucy. Who will, absolutely, indubitably, definitely, never let her hear the end of it.

There are so many _I told you so’s_ in Kara’s future it’s not even funny.

And yet, she should be grateful. She was about to make a colossal mistake, and she’s been saved.

“Glad to see you’re up and about,” Lucy says, raising one eyebrow and looking between Alex and Kara, a look of both concern and intrigue on her face. “Are you interested in breakfast?” She knows she’s interrupted something, and _Kara_ knows her friend will be insufferable.

“Sure,” Kara replies, wishing the smell of Alex’s pheromones would leave her nose. Her omega senses are primed and ready to receive alpha kisses, and they’re not happy about being denied. Maybe the near death experience made them worse.

“Okay,” Lucy says, walking over and squeezing Kara’s shoulder. For a moment, sincere relief breaks through her mirth and she gives Kara a crushing hug that would make any human uncomfortable. “I’m so glad you’re good. So fucking glad.” She whispers it in Kara’s ear, and Kara hugs her back just as fiercely, while taking care not to squeeze too hard.

“You didn’t think something like that would keep me down, did you?” Kara murmurs back, noting with some satisfaction that Alex hasn’t shown a single jealousy response. Even a fellow omega like Lucy should have produced animosity after such an intimate moment.

The Sheriff sure is something else.

+++

J’onn takes Kara aside after breakfast, while Alex and Lucy head back upstairs to change Kara’s blood-soaked sheets and to check if the mattress can be salvaged. Kara sure hopes so – she loves that mattress.

“How much do they know?” J’onn asks, nodding towards the ceiling.

“Just that I’m an alien and that I heal fast,” Kara replies, knowing he’s referring to Alex. “She doesn’t know anything about you or Supergirl or Krypton. She just knows that you and Lucy know I’m an alien.” She looks down at her bloody button-down again. “She took it really well.”

With a nod, J’onn sips at his coffee and lets out a sigh.

“Any idea who shot you?” he asks next, and Kara shakes her head.

“Did you read Alex’s mind? They might remember more about what that gun-wielding person looks like. All I remember is,” Kara rubs her forehead and thinks back to that moment. Alex smiling, Alex walking towards her, Alex running. “I barely remember turning around, let alone getting shot. It’s all a huge blank.”

J’onn nods and gazes out of window. They’re both sitting at Kara’s kitchen island, the remnants of their breakfast in between them. Just as she suspected, she did end up sleeping the night away.

“Kryptonite bullets will do that to you,” he says, furrowing his dark brows. He looks tired and old, and Kara reaches out to cover his hand with her own. If he fell into human or Kryptonian standards, Kara knows he would be a beta. Solid, reliable, level-headed. “And I did read Alex’s memories of that moment…” He takes another sip of coffee, mulling his words over in his head. “I don’t recognize the person who did this. But I do recognize a space-time-portal when I see one.”

Humming, Kara sticks her finger into the scoop of Nutella that’s left on her plate.

“You think someone with a legion ring tried to kill me?” she asks, rubbing at her chest again. No longer feeling the wound is as unsettling as feeling it in the first place. Nothing on her body is ever permanent anymore.

“Or someone with the same abilities as Barry,” J’onn suggests, picking up the remains of his bagel. “The fact that they knew about your secret identity does make me wonder.” He gestures with the bagel, cream cheese sticking to his fingers.

“Legion ring seems more likely,” Kara comments, x-raying the ceiling and sneaking a quick, reassuring look at her friends upstairs. “Please keep Alex from trying to figure out who did this. I don’t want them to get hurt.”

His sigh is less than encouraging.

+++

The blood has soaked through to the mattress.

With her arms wrapped around her knees again, Kara sits in her armchair and stares at the stain.

She rarely gets to see her own blood these days.

It’s a stark reminder. Being Supergirl may make her strong, but it also leaves her vulnerable to attack. And anyone who gets too close will be equally in danger. If something were to happen to Lucy, James or J’onn, she would break. She’s already lost too much for one lifetime.

And then there’s Sheriff Danvers.

Noble. Sweet. Caring. Brave.

It’s been five hours since Kara was left to her own devices, and only because she shooed everyone else out of the house, claiming to need her space. They could all tell that she was bullshitting about the need for privacy for a hot bath, but Kara can’t find it within herself to care. She’s not even taken off her bloody shirt.

Running a hand through her hair, a million scenarios flash through her mind.

Alex being shot, too; Lucy and J’onn arriving too late and Kara being discovered by other people; Alex freaking out at the scene or in her bedroom or anywhere in between and calling the military on her; Lucy being visited by the same gunperson at the clinic.

The only thing that grounds her and reminds her of the truth is the smell of the blood.

+++

The next day, Kara wakes to the sound of her doorbell. On Lucy’s insistence, Kara has taken the rest of the week off at the clinic and has reduced her Supergirl duties to the absolute bare minimum while J’onn picks up the slack in National City in her stead. There have been no further attacks so far, and so Kara has deigned to sleep in.

Dragging herself to her feet, she picks up on the distinct heartbeat outside straight away.

She doesn’t bother x-raying the door, so while she’s not surprised to see Sheriff Danvers on her doorstep, she _is_ surprised to see the duffle bag slung over their shoulder. They’re in a military-issued pair of sweatpants and a jumper that’s too big on them and looks ridiculously comfortable.

“Alex?” Kara asks, stepping aside and letting her friend enter without putting up a fuss. Kara, for her part, is wearing an old t-shirt from university and a pair of linen shorts she likes to sleep in. “What are you doing here?”

Setting down the duffle bag on the couch, Alex places her hands at her waist and takes on what Kara has come to recognize as her power pose. She often uses it at accident scenes, and Kara thinks it looks equal parts adorable and sexy.

“I know you don’t want me looking into your shooting, and I respect that,” Alex starts, giving Kara a decisive look that screams protectiveness. “But I also don’t really know what it was that I saw. That person came out of nowhere, shot you, and then disappeared. And I don’t want to be unprepared again, so I’m using up some of my vacation days.”

“And the duffle bag?” Kara asks, gesturing at it.

Taking a deep breath, Alex looks straight into Kara’s eyes, the alpha inside them posturing.

“If it’s alright with you, I wanted to ask if I could stay at your place for a couple of days,” she asserts, taking care not to phrase it as a command but as a genuine request. It’s so unexpected, that Kara briefly wonders if she’s having a very vivid hallucination.

“You want to stay here?” Kara asks, reaching out to steady herself on the back of the couch.

“To help protect you,” Alex confirms, taking a step closer to Kara. Even with Kara’s lack of shoes, she still has a few inches on Alex, but the alpha makes up for it in quiet dedication and resolution. “I don’t know what other traits you have, aside from the fast healing, but I don’t want to risk you bleeding out while no one’s watching. I care about you too much for that.”

Cheeks burning, Kara brushes a strand of hair behind her own ear.

“Alex, that’s so sweet,” she says, intending with each fiber of her being to turn down the offer.

But then, Alex reaches out and curls their fingers around Kara’s right hand.

“Please,” the Sheriff implores her, and Kara tries to hold strong. But there’s simply too much raw emotion in her friend’s hazel eyes, and Kara can smell the anxiety on them. If she were in Alex’s position, she’d want to help, too.

“Okay,” Kara acquiesces, squeezing Alex’s fingers. “You can stay here.”

A gentle smile is her reward.

“Thank you,” Alex says, before letting go of Kara and taking a step back. “I promise I won’t get in your way. Whatever you’ve got planned, I’ll just be around. You won’t even know I’m here.”

Somehow, Kara doubts that very much.

+++

Sheriff Danvers has brought a book and takes to sitting on the couch with their back to Kara, while Kara tries to focus on tidying the place up a little. It’s not just because she suddenly had three guests over and there are small drops of blood all over some parts of the floor. In fact, she’s been meaning to clean for the better part of a month, but something always got in the way.

Now, she stands in front of her shelves and wonders where she should start first. She could go through her stacks upon stacks of CDs and get rid of some of them, or she could reorganize them to give the shelf a more pleasant vibe. She could move the whole shelf to a different place, or just its contents. And then there’s the fine dust particles that may not bother a human but that stick in Kara’s mind whenever she walks past.

With a huff, Kara moves on to the next shelf, leaving the CDs behind for now.

Sorting through books isn’t much easier, especially since many of them are mementos of her childhood and youth with the Kents and she doesn’t have the heart to remove them. As a young Kryptonian, she had to learn everything about Earth that a human girl her age would know, and the Kents mostly taught her with the aid of books and television.

She slides her right pointer finger along the spine of the first book that Aunt Martha ever showed her. It’s a book on the known universe – known to humanity, that is. Kara remembers how excited she was to learn about this side of the cosmos, and how often she would page through it and explain to Martha how each planet in the solar system could be made inhabitable, if only humanity cracked this or that invention.

With a smile, Kara leaves this shelf be, too.

Looking back over her shoulder, she catches Alex’s eyes just before they flit back down to the book in their hands.

“What are you reading?” Kara asks, turning her back on her shelves and folding her hands behind her back. “Anything good?”

Sheriff Danvers, clearly aware of having been discovered, closes the book and crosses her legs. Leaning casually against the backrest, Alex holds it out to Kara, who walks over and takes it, turning it over in her hands to look at the back cover.

“It’s my mom’s most recent novel,” Alex reveals, just as Kara catches sight of a handsome blonde woman in the upper right corner of the cover. “She loves writing crime dramas on the side. I don’t know how she finds the time, honestly.”

With a hum, Kara reads the summary.

“What’s her day job?” she asks, handing the novel back to Alex and sitting down on her easy chair.

This is much more interesting than tidying the place.

+++

It’s been years since Kara has found herself so riveted by a new person in her life. It’s not that she doesn’t like humans – at this point, they’re the only family she has, and she even includes Kal-El in that assessment – but she often finds them… stressful.

Even their impromptu Tea Dance date hasn’t come close to scratching the surface of just how kind of a person the Sheriff is. The things they say are thoughtful and show a form of integrity in their beliefs that Kara has rarely seen in anyone – human or Kryptonian.

It’s refreshing.

Is it also dangerous? Yes. Does Kara have the mental fortitude to care at the moment? Maybe she should. But she pushes those thoughts away in favor of spending more time with the gentle alpha who discusses their mother’s lifelong ambitions, their father’s untimely death in a plane crash, and the reasons for why they went to serve in the military in the first place.

At some point, the sunlight wanes and night breaks upon them, and they haven’t stopped talking.

In turn, Kara discusses things about her life and about Krypton she’s never told another soul. She takes care not to reveal that she’s Supergirl, but the way her mother’s hair would sparkle under Rao’s red light or how her father would sometimes share experiments with her that he wouldn’t show anyone else isn’t going to get her in trouble. Except emotionally.

During lunch, Kara and Alex stand side by side as they prepare a simple meal that consists mainly of copious amounts of pasta and tomato sauce. Sheriff Danvers teases her about her eating habits, but it’s a teasing that has Kara feeling warm and fuzzy inside, rather than offended.

When Alex scratches at their cheek with the back of their hand, a rogue piece of tomato sticks to them, and Kara can’t help but smile. As soon as Alex notices her cheerful expression, they furrow their brows but respond with their own smile. Shaking her head, Kara picks up a dishtowel, leans in closer and wipes it away with a chuckle.

The blush that spreads across the back of Alex’s nose is priceless.

+++

Once Alex starts to yawn, Kara is presented with a dilemma.

“You should sleep upstairs. I can take the couch,” Kara offers, sitting up straighter in her armchair and looking away from the television, where a moment ago they were watching a romantic comedy. Kara’s pick. “I don’t get back pain, and I don’t want your shoulder on a surface like that for any length of time.”

Alex, who looks close to nodding off even while seated cross-legged, shakes their head.

“As my doctor, you don’t want to know how many times I’ve fallen asleep on the couch in the last couple of months,” they offer, rubbing at their left cheek and eye. It’s close to midnight, and clearly the Sheriff is used to a different sleeping rhythm. “I’m not going to steal your bed from you, Kara.”

With a small smile, Kara appreciates the familiarity with which Alex’s pheromones settle around her, trying to convince her that Alex will be fine right here. She shakes her head and gets to her feet, holding out her hand for Alex to take.

“You’re not stealing it, I’m offering,” Kara says, pulling Alex to their feet. With the momentum, they’re suddenly close, looking up into Kara’s eyes, and Kara finds herself unable to look away. Their hand is warm, and Kara focuses on the steady beating of their heart. “Come on.”

Keeping their hands locked, Kara pulls them further into the house and up the stairs.

+++

Somehow, Kara finds herself in her own bed, with Alex’s sleeping form resting only a few inches away.

+++

The next morning, Kara wakes to the smell of someone else’s hair and the feeling of soft human skin under her hand. Remembering the night before, she tries not to move as she assesses the situation. Her nose is tucked into the back of Alex’s neck and her fingers are curled around Alex’s stomach. Alex’s heartbeat indicates that they’re awake, and Kara slowly draws back her hand.

“Morning,” she says, sitting up and running both hands through her hair. Quickly, she reaches for her glasses, and the Sheriff rights themself, too.

“Hey,” Alex replies, their hair sticking up at odd angles. “Did you sleep well?”

They’re still close together and Kara wants to reach out and smooth out Alex’s hair with her fingers, maybe scratch their scalp in certain places, and then draw them into a desperate kiss until they stop looking so handsome and calm. She vividly remembers the smell of arousal clinging to them.

“Yeah,” she says instead and smiles, before sliding from her bed. “How about you?”

+++

They go grocery shopping together and draw more than a few looks from other people in town, and Kara can’t stop herself from blushing when several other omegas that Kara has treated at the clinic give her dirty looks. Some look genuinely crushed, and she doesn’t stop dying inside until they’re both back in Kara’s car.

Only once they’re back on the road does she breathe a sigh of relief.

“We can never go outside together again,” Kara announces, gripping the steering wheel with a little too much force. When she starts to feel it bend under her touch, she has to consciously relax her muscles, lest she rip clean through it.

“Why?” Alex asks, seemingly unaware that several men and women at the store were busy plotting Kara’s murder.

With a sigh, Kara turns around a corner.

“I can’t tell if you’re kidding or not,” she says, stopping at a red light and giving Alex an incredulous look. To their credit, the Sheriff just looks confused and not like they’re trying to gather up compliments. Shaking her head, Kara squeezes their thigh. “Never mind.”

Alex laughs.

“Oh, come on, you can’t leave me hanging like this,” they complain, and Kara can’t stop herself from leaning in and laying a sweet kiss against their cheek before the light turns green and she has to shift back into drive.

“Yes, I can,” Kara says, and continues to smile all the way home.

+++

Things are calm for the next two days, and Kara can’t help but get used to Alex’s presence in her home.

They sit together, cook together, brush their teeth together.

It’s all terribly domestic, and Kara starts feeling comfortable.

So, comfortable, in fact, that she doesn’t even blink when Alex suggests going to a movie. It’s an innocuous idea, and Kara agrees without even considering how it might look to other people. Or how it might make her feel down the line. She’s already having trouble with keeping her emotional distance from the gentle alpha in her home, though she’s taken care not to share her pheromones again.

Not that it has mattered.

Alex has been smelling sweeter and sweeter each day, and Kara hasn’t taken care to chart her own cycle. If she’s especially unlucky, she knows the prolonged exposure to a scent that’s so compatible with hers may push her into an early heat, and she does not have the time for any sort of nonsense like that. If it weren’t for Sol, she wouldn’t even be having this problem.

“There’s a fun action movie with Kristen Stewart I’ve been meaning to see,” Alex says as they spread a bagel with peanut butter. They’re wearing a short-sleeved blue shirt today that leaves their forearms ripe for perusal by Kara’s shameless eyes. For her part, Kara is sitting at her kitchen island and sipping a cup of coffee. She’s already devoured several bowls of cereal while Alex has been taking their time.

“Sounds like a good time,” Kara agrees, placing her chin in her hand and openly watching Alex’s forearm muscles as she screws the lid back onto the jar of peanut butter. Being in such close proximity to the object of her desires is leaving her off balance. “Do you think anyone would notice if we both got supersized popcorn helpings and I ate both of them?”

With a chuckle, Alex wipes their hands on a dishtowel and gives Kara a radiant smile.

And then, for the second time, Kara has to see an expression of happiness slide off their handsome face, and she’s left with the realization that bad things are about to happen all over again. Only this time, Alex is right next to her.

+++

The Sheriff’s body collides with Kara’s and a gasp of pain follows, right before Kara finds herself on the floor with a panting Alex on top of her. Beyond her friend, she sees a giant of a man, brandishing a glowing and steaming axe.

“Fudge nuggets,” Kara whispers, right before bringing herself between Alex and the axe murderer and taking off her glasses. Narrowing her eyes, Kara feels the heat vision build up inside her, uncaring that Alex will _know._ “Get out of my house!”

The guy is blasted back, grunts and drops his axe, his clothes catching on fire as he crashes into Kara’s kitchen cabinet, which splinters under his heavy weight. She’s not looking forward to having it replaced.

He stumbles, then something on his hand glows and he disappears as fast as he has come.

“Fuck,” Alex grunts, sitting up and cupping both of Kara’s cheeks. “Are you okay?”

Feeling semi-certain that the giant won’t return to this exact moment, Kara turns towards Alex, her eyes immediately zeroing in on the gash on their left arm. The wound has been cauterized, but it looks like a painful cut.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Kara says, reaching out to take a hold of Alex’s elbow. “Why is it always your left?”

Fingers slide along her temple, and Kara notes that Alex is studying her with interest. Her glasses lie next to her, and her hair is down. She’s been caught.

“Kara,” Alex says, a question lingering in her tone. “You—”

“Yeah,” Kara offers, wincing when she pulls back Alex’s sleeve.

“Damn,” Alex murmurs, and Kara gives her an odd look. “I don’t mean it’s bad or anything, but… it’s not fair that you’re _both_ of my crushes.” The shock seems to have left her without a filter, and Kara feels herself blush.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” Kara says in repetition of her earlier words. First, Alex finds out she’s an alien, and now _this._ The one thing Kara didn’t want to put on her. “I was trying to keep you safe, but… I guess maybe I should have insisted you stay home, huh?”

Shaking their head, Alex allows themself to be pulled to their feet.

“I probably wouldn’t have told me, either,” they say, hissing softly when Kara prods at the skin around the cut. “That’s one nasty axe.” They look behind themself at the weapon on the floor, and Kara can’t help but agree. “Maybe now I can stop asking myself why someone would want to shoot _you,_ the best and kindest doctor in town.”

Kara chuckles.

“I’m the only doctor in town,” she says, and Alex shrugs bashfully.

“Well, all the same,” they reply, and Kara is standing close enough to count the flecks of gold in their hazel eyes.

Later, she’ll blame the flecks for what happens next.

Dipping down her face, Kara nudges their nose with her own and it doesn’t take more than a moment for Alex to surge up and pull her into a kiss. It’s quick and desperate, just like Kara imagined a first kiss with the Sheriff to be like, after all the weeks and months of denying herself.

Her hands curl into Alex’s hair, her nails raking along their scalp as she backs them into the kitchen island. Her senses are overloading, her every molecule attuning to Alex and her reactions to Kara’s touch. Her scent grows out of control, and she can feel Alex’s heartbeat speed up before she starts to smell the telltale key notes of arousal.

“I’m sorry,” Kara whispers, tilting her head to the side and dragging Alex into a new kiss. Their mouth is soft and responsive and when Kara traces her tongue along their bottom lip, they open without hesitation, their hands curling around Kara’s lower back and tugging her in closer. It’s half-dominant, half-submissive, and Kara finds herself whimpering when she feels Alex’s clit extend against her thigh.

“Don’t be,” Alex replies, leaning up on their toes. Their scent is going out of control, drowning Kara in pheromones that she knows will kick her into a Kryptonian mating frenzy if she’s not careful. After all, what’s in _her_ pants is responding to what’s in Alex’s.

She only manages to pull back, when her hand lands on Alex’s bicep and her new friend hisses again.

Blinking a few times, Kara looks down at the cauterized wound.

“We need to get that cleaned and bandaged,” Kara asserts, unwilling to remove her hands from Alex’s body, nor to feel their hands retreat from her waist. “I don’t want you to get an infection.” She lays a kiss against their cheek and enjoys the way they nuzzle at her jaw.

The adrenaline from the fight continues to swirl around in Kara’s body, even as she drags Alex to the bathroom, where she keeps her first-aid kits. Considering her two career choices, she’s more than prepared.

Sitting down on the lid of the toilet, Alex lets Kara unbutton her shirt, her chest moving up and down to a gentle rhythm that Kara wants to play music to. She’s not wearing a bra, and as soon as the shirt hangs open, Kara can’t stop herself from leaning in and pressing a series of kisses along Alex’s stomach. Kneeling down, Kara slides her nose along Alex’s abdominal muscles and breathes in her scent.

She feels drunk with want but reins herself in long enough to help Alex shrug out of their shirt, so Kara can properly clean and wrap their arm. And finally, Kara gets to kiss the scar that graces their shoulder, something she’s been dreaming of doing since the very first time Alex came into her clinic.

“Sometimes I wish you humans weren’t so very frail,” she says quietly, stroking her thumb along the edges of the scar. “Loving one of you is terrifying.” Alex’s heart stutters at her words, and Kara looks up to find her friend’s eyes half-lidded.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she promises, cupping Kara’s cheek with her hand.

Smiling sadly, Kara lays a kiss against the bandage on Alex’s arm, before letting her own hands slide up the back of their legs. Heartbeat accelerating further, the Sheriff only watches as Kara spreads their legs wider. Beneath their black sweatpants, Kara can see the outline of her prize.

“May I?” Kara asks as her hands curl around the elastic waistband of the sweats.

With a shaky nod, Alex lifts their butt from off the toilet lid so Kara can slide down their pants, leaving them in their dark blue boxer briefs. With only one layer remaining, Kara moves ever closer, close enough for her nose to press against the bulge inside Alex’s underwear.

Taking a deep breath, Kara lays a hand on Alex’s chest and pushes her back into the bathroom wall, strangely satisfied when the alpha shudders at the coldness of the tiles. Inside Kara’s chest, a war is brewing. Between her Kryptonian desire to dominate, and her very human desire to submit.

As a compromise, she kisses along the covered shaft and allows a whimper to escape her throat that has Alex releasing a low growl in return. Clearly, there’s a war inside Alex, too, and no matter how noble and kind her alpha is, there may well come a time when submitting to Kara will need to be challenged.

For now, however, Alex stays where they are, shuddering each time Kara presses a kiss against their length, even through the thin barrier of the boxer briefs. They whine when Kara sucks on the cloth, running her tongue along the seam.

“Alex,” Kara breathes, looking up from her position on the floor, her blue eyes seeking hazel.

“Yeah?” Alex replies, curling her fingers into Kara’s hair.

“Thank you for saving me,” Kara offers, keeping their eye contact as she leans back down and bites at the boxer briefs. “Will you let me make love to you in return?” If she were younger, she knows her eyes would be glowing, riled up as she is.

Letting out a submissive whimper, Alex nods quickly, seemingly too far gone in her arousal to speak. If her scent is anything to go by, Kara knows her Sheriff may be close to her own rut. But neither of them will enter such a stage tonight. Kara is sure of it.

What she’s less sure of is how she’ll handle seeing Alex’s perfect body up close, especially when the Sheriff lifts their butt off the toilet again so Kara can slide down their underwear, exposing the painfully erect shaft beneath.

She’s seen a few alpha knots in her time, some under more pleasant circumstances than others, so she has a point of reference for what they look and feel like, but she’s never been so emotionally invested in an alpha before. Maybe that’s why she stares at it for a moment, transfixed by what she’s about to do.

Alex, unawares of Kara’s inner musings, mistakes her hesitation for sudden disinterest.

“Hey, it’s okay,” they say, cupping Kara’s cheek. “You really don’t have to.”

It’s sweet, and Kara smiles at them, right before she takes their shaft into her hand and leans forward to kiss and lick at the side of it. In response, the back of Alex’s head finds the wall and their thighs tense in pleasure while Kara squeezes and rubs them.

“I’ve wanted to do this for months,” Kara admits, looking up and watching Alex’s throat work as the swallows. Every stroke makes her thighs quiver and jump, and Kara wonders how beautiful she’ll look once Kara’s lips are wrapped around her. Maybe she can have this. Even if it’s just for now.

At last, feeling like she’s teased Alex and herself enough, Kara takes the head of her friend’s length into her mouth and swirls her tongue around it. It fits neatly against the inside of her cheek as she sucks on it, listening with rapt attention to each hitch in Alex’s breath and each whimper and whine. Her hand continues its stroking, and slowly but surely Kara allows more and more of her friend’s cock to slide into her mouth.

As a Kryptonian, Kara doesn’t remember ever having had a gag reflex, and she’s especially glad for it now as she swallows around the length in her mouth and throat to ensure Alex’s pleasure. Pulling back slowly, Kara slides her tongue up and around, right before she moves down again.

“Fuck, Kara,” Alex breathes out, her hands tightening in Kara’s hair without pulling her further in. If they were planning on saying anything else, Kara throws a wrench into those plans by hollowing out her cheeks and taking Alex fully inside so her nose touches her lover’s stomach. Trapped as she is, Alex can’t do anything but take it, and Kara revels in the power this affords her. She’s the sole reason that Alex’s body is overflowing with pleasure, that her feet slide across the floor as she seeks further purchase against the ground, and that Alex’s chest heaves with every breath.

Sliding Alex back out of her mouth, Kara takes a deep breath and looks with satisfaction at the glistening cock in her hand that looks good enough to eat. Picking up her speed, Kara strokes Alex faster and faster, swiping her thumb across the head whenever her hand reaches the top.

From the way Alex’s muscles keep tensing, Kara can tell that the Sheriff is close to reaching their peak.

Pushing Alex’s cock against her stomach, Kara nuzzles against the bottom of it, before sliding her tongue along the base and up, until she’s reached the head. Then, she accepts it back into her mouth and focuses all of her attention on suckling and rhythmically moving her hand up and down to the beating of Alex’s heart.

“Kara,” Alex says again, their hands trying to pull Kara away from their cock, and Kara knows.

When Alex does come, Kara takes care to show her respect by swallowing whatever it is her lover has to offer. Since it’s only the first orgasm of the night and Alex hasn’t yet reached her knot, the come that does land on Kara’s tongue isn’t much, but she still laps it up like she’s receiving something precious.

Only when Alex slumps back against the wall does Kara release her from her mouth and hands.

Still quivering, Alex looks spent, her eyes closed and her cock twitching with residual spasms of pleasure. Licking her lips, Kara gets to her feet and curls one arm around Alex’s back and slides one under her knees.

“May I take you to bed?” Kara asks, lifting the Sheriff up and into her arms.

“Yes,” Alex confirms, winding their arms around Kara and allowing themself to be carried out of the bathroom and up the stairs. The rest of the way to her bed, Kara flies, before gently depositing her alpha on the sheets. Naked like this, the Sheriff looks no less intimidating than they do during the day, but Kara hopes no one else will ever get to see them this way again.

With shaky fingers, Kara grabs the bottom of her jumper and pulls it off, followed quickly by her white undershirt. While she tugs off her shorts and underwear, Alex gets to her knees and watches with growing intensity. Their pheromones hang thick and demanding in the air, and Kara can feel the alpha inside them roar and rage to dominate and protect.

Once naked, Kara joins Alex on the bed and draws them into a kiss, sharing their taste between them and letting her hands run all along the Sheriff’s chest and stomach. She touches and caresses their breasts, while the tip of their cock slides against Kara’s folds.

“I want to make you feel just as good,” Alex says, curling one hand behind the back of Kara’s neck to drag her into a passionate kiss, while her left drops down between their bodies, hesitating on Kara’s stomach. “If you want that, too.”

“I do,” Kara says quickly, her own hand clasping Alex’s wrist and holding it still. “But you should know… I’m not entirely like human women you’ve been with. Or human omegas.” She says these words with confidence, even though inside she’s waiting for rejection. No human has ever touched her there before, as doing so would have meant exposing her alien origins.

“Would it be horribly rude of me to suggest I don’t care whatever genitals you have?” Alex says, their nails scratching along the skin just below Kara’s belly button. “All I want is to take care of you, Kara. That’s all I’ve wanted since the first time I met you.”

Throat tight with emotion, Kara cups both of their cheeks and kisses them, nodding when Alex’s fingers indicate that they want to slide lower again.

“Okay,” Kara agrees, letting out a shaky breath when the pads of Alex’s fingers finally find their way in between Kara’s legs. As they continue to kiss, Alex cups Kara’s sex, her palm hot and solid against the most sensitive part of Kara. And then, Kara feels herself unfurling, her body opening to release her _fahtul._

Since Alex is mainly going by touch, they’re clearly confused when Kara’s fahtul wraps around their wrist and allows their fingers entry into Kara. Drawing back from their embrace, Kara gives Alex the chance to look down to see what’s going on. When they do, they let out a gentle gasp, though it doesn’t appear to be one of disgust.

Kara’s fahtul is a soft shade of yellow, its body tactile and limber as it undulates. The bottom is thick, while the top ends with a thinner shape. As soon as Alex has two fingers inside Kara, her fahtul shudders and Kara finds herself leaning closer to Alex again, seeking support.

Breathlessly, Alex kisses Kara’s shoulder.

“What—do you call it?” they ask, pulling their fingers back out of Kara so they can wrap their hand around the base of the fahtul and gently squeeze it. Pleasure shoots through Kara’s body, and she collapses further into Alex’s arm that’s holding her up as her thighs start to shake.

“Fahtul,” she says through gasps as Alex continues to gently stroke her, while the fahtul continues to try to curl around her. “I think it likes you.” She’s barely aware of how her own body is moving, only that it’s bringing her closer to an orgasm.

“Fahtul,” Alex repeats, whispering the word into Kara’s oversensitive ear. “It’s beautiful.”

Letting out a whimper, Kara wraps tries not to crush Alex’s ribcage as she curls both arms around the Sheriff’s back and rocks into their movements. Bringing in their second hand, Kara nearly loses her connection to reality as Alex continues to rub her fahtul while dipping two fingers inside her.

“Thank you,” Alex murmurs, their hands picking up speed. “Thank you for trusting me.”

At her words, Kara shudders and shakes with her climax, her fahtul soaking Alex’s fingers with her come. Unlike humans, it doesn’t shoot anything from the tip, but rather produces it along its edges, lubricating itself and its partner’s body. In turn, Alex’s fingers slip and slide a lot better around her fahtul, and Kara finds herself bucking into her lover’s ministrations for far longer than her orgasm would have necessitated.

Finally, Kara pulls back, and her fahtul retreats inside her, leaving her outwardly human, outwardly omega, once again. Alex, whose fingers are slippery with Kara’s come, gives Kara a sweet kiss as they wipe their palms off on their stomach and sides.

“That was amazing,” Alex reassures Kara, who smiles weakly at her before laying back on the bed and waiting for her twitching muscles to calm back down. It’s gratifying, to look at Alex and see the want in her eyes as she traces Kara’s body from head to toe. Her length stands at attention, clearly ready for round two, and Kara admits that the thought of Alex inside her with more than her hands is a tempting one. She’s never accepted a human knot before, nor a Kryptonian one.

“Do you want to take a break?” Alex asks, sitting down on her heels and letting her fingers move softly back and forth on Kara’s shin. It’s not an erotic touch, just a reassurance that Alex is here for her, whatever she may need.

Shaking her head, Kara runs a hand through her hair and reaches out her hand, waiting for Alex to scoot over and take it.

“I’d like to keep going. Unless _you_ want to take a break?” She draws her pointer finger around the skin below Alex’s belly button, taking care to avoid her shaft, just in case Alex says she needs a moment. To her great satisfaction, a glint appears in Alex’s eyes and she leans down to press Kara back into the mattress, claiming her lips in a new round of kisses.

Curling her arms around Alex’s shoulders, Kara opens her legs and allows her lover to slide between them.

“How do you feel about penetration?” Alex asks, kissing along the side of Kara’s neck and nibbling on her pulse point. Somehow, they’ve skipped foreplay and gone straight to business, and Kara can’t quite remember what made her decide to get on her knees and suck her friend’s cock. But now that it’s happened, all she feels is relief at finally stepping over that line.

“It’s my first time,” Kara reveals, cupping Alex’s cheek and kissing their chin. “I’ve never felt comfortable enough with a human to share something like this with them.” She allows her pheromones to spill out in droves, and she knows Alex can smell her arousal. Their pupils are wide with desire, and this time, they don’t have to hold back. “But I want to try it with you.”

Their mouths find each other again as Alex rubs her shaft along Kara’s folds.

“What about your fahtul?” Alex asks, biting at Kara’s bottom lip.

“It might come out to play,” Kara says cautiously, just as the tip of Alex’s cock finds her entrance. “How do you feel about that?”

Reaching down to line herself up properly, Alex strokes the back of Kara’s nose with her own.

“Sounds like fun,” she murmurs, before nudging at Kara and letting out a quiet groan when Kara’s fahtul reaches for her cock just as she starts pushing inside. Under Sol, Kara can’t feel pain unless Kryptonite or radioactive weapons are involved, so the only thing that really registers while Alex fills her is how much she’s going to enjoy however many sessions of sex Alex will be in the mood for. Especially when Alex bottoms out and Kara’s body acclimates to the gentle intrusion.

“You’re—“ Kara starts, just as Alex moves her hips back and forth again, nudging against something inside Kara that has her eyes rolling into the back of her head. She knew she was sensitive, but she’s never taken the time to properly explore all of herself, not when there’s always so much more to do during the day. Sure, she’s masturbated with her fahtul plenty of times, but Kara never imagined it would feel this good to make love to someone she cares about.

On the third stroke, Kara’s legs curl around Alex’s, dragging her in deeper, and her hips start rolling into every thrust. Inside, she feels her fahtul unfurl and curl itself around Alex’s shaft, and she can tell the exact moment that Alex realizes what’s happening, because their mouth drops open and a strangled moan escapes their lips. The feeling is mutual.

Kara can scarcely remember a time where she felt more delirious with pleasure.

While Alex continues to move back and forth inside her, as best as they can with Kara’s fahtul squeezing their cock, Kara brings her hands to Alex’s chest and caresses their breasts, hoping against hope that her lover is experiencing just as much joy as she is.

The Sheriff, for their part, moves further up on their knees, grabs Kara’s waist and starts moving their hips in circles, hitting harder and faster on every other thrust.

“I’ll knot soon,” Alex moans out, the bottom of their shaft swelling with blood.

Gasping, Kara’s insides squeeze at the prospect.

“Knot me,” she whimpers, dragging her nails down Alex’s abdominal muscles. “Please. Please knot me. I want to take your knot.” Under different circumstances, Kara might be embarrassed by her open pleading, but the primal omega part in her brain is demanding it. Demanding to be filled and bred and fucked until her alpha is properly satisfied.

With a choked cry, Alex starts grinding her knot against Kara’s opening, and maybe it’s only because Kara’s fahtul pulls from the other side that it’s finally possible for her to slip inside. Either way, the next instance, Alex’s knot is enveloped fully by Kara and her fahtul, and then she’s coming, her head thrown back and her mouth wide open as she empties herself inside Kara.

Overly sensitive as she is, Kara swears she can feel each rope of come as it hits her walls, and the way Alex’s knot pulses is too much for Kara’s fahtul. Pushed into her own orgasm, Kara feels herself constrict around Alex, squeezing their knot to what must be nearing a painful degree.

With a last desperate thrust, Alex collapses on Kara, their face tucked into Kara’s neck and their body heavy and warm and beautifully alpha. Happy and sated, Kara hugs them close and nips at their shoulder, knowing their knot will keep them both tied together for the next half an hour to ensure optimal conditions for breeding. Thankfully, in Kara’s case, she knows she’s not receptive to conceive until she’s fully in heat.

Stroking along the back muscles of her lover, Kara thinks to the big axe they left lying around her kitchen. It can wait until later. She knows that as soon as Alex’s knot has gone down, she will want to try different positions. Now that she knows what it means to make love to a human, Kara wants to partake in all the things she’s never allowed herself because of fear.

“You’re amazing,” Alex murmurs, their hips gently grinding back and forth. It feels like an ancient mating relic, and Kara doesn’t call them on it. Besides, it sends aftershocks all the way to the tips of her fingers, so she’s not about to complain.

Scratching the back of Alex’s head, Kara holds them close.

“I didn’t think it would be like this,” she reveals, staring up at the ceiling and reveling in the way Alex is fully wrapped around her. Their scents have melded together to create something gorgeous, and her hands can’t touch enough of her lover. Ultimately, one settles on Alex’s butt, while the other stays rooted in between their shoulder blades. “I’m sorry I didn’t go on a date with you.”

With a chuckle, Alex pushes herself to her elbow and leaves a gentle kiss on the dimple of worry between Kara’s brows.

“Trust me, I get it. Being Supergirl and Midvale’s only doctor can’t leave you with a ton of time.” Their fingers stroke along Kara’s sternum, drawing circles and other shapes on her skin. “Although I would really like to know how Supergirl has been saving people while you’ve been home the past couple of days. I know you’re fast, but not that fast.”

Smiling bashfully, Kara gives them a kiss.

“Helps to be friends with a shapeshifter,” Kara says, purposefully keeping J’onn’s identity to herself. One day, he will doubtlessly tell Alex, especially if Kara can manage to hold onto them, but it’s not her place to make that decision for him.

With a chuckle, Alex leans her head on her hand and looks down at Kara with something akin to awe.

“I don’t want to be presumptuous, but… would you consider going on a date with me now that I know?” they ask tentatively, their fingers stilling on Kara’s chest in anticipation. “I’ve loved being with you this week, and I want this to be more than just a one night stand.”

Chest full of emotions, Kara looks deep into their hazel eyes and finds nothing but hope there.

“My life is a mess,” she starts, sliding her foot along the back of Alex’s leg. “Supergirl doesn’t leave me with a lot of free time, and even when I find time to be with friends or family, I get called away often. I wouldn’t be able to give you an incident free life. Honestly, I would count myself lucky to be able to sleep next to you for a full night. I’m not saying that to scare you off, but if you do date me, you should know that I come with certain responsibilities.”

A soft smile crosses the Sheriff’s lips.

“Even if you weren’t Supergirl, both of our jobs would keep us on our toes. I get called into duty more often than you probably realize.” They lean down to give Kara a small kiss. “I would count _myself_ lucky to spend the hours you have sleeping next to you.”

Cupping both of Alex’s cheeks, Kara pulls them in, kissing them with everything she has as she rolls them both over, her hips picking up the grind where Alex left off. Inside herself, her fahtul uncurls from around Alex and starts stroking them, starting another round of lovemaking that Kara knows will leave her breathless one way or another.

+++

After a day spent rutting in her bed, in her shower, and in her bed again, Kara sleeps deeper than she remembers sleeping in a long time. Better yet, she does it wrapped up in Alex’s arms, the Sheriff’s leg thrown over her own and their face tucked into the space between Kara’s neck and shoulder.

She also can’t remember a time where she slept in the nude, and yet when she wakes, she relishes in the rays of sunshine bathing her naked chest and stomach in Sol’s power. Next to her, the bed is empty, but Kara doesn’t freak out. Her ears have completely attuned themselves to Alex’s heartbeat, and she can hear her Sheriff moving around downstairs.

Stretching out her legs and wiggling her toes, Kara smiles brightly as she flies out of bed and into a pair of panties and a big comfortable mint-colored jumper. When she reaches the foot of the stairs, she notes the big axe laying neatly on her coffee table. It’s no longer glowing, and the razor sharp edge appears to have been cleaned of Alex’s blood.

“Alex?” Kara asks, rounding the corner into her kitchen and noting with satisfaction that Alex isn’t wearing pants. Instead, they’re clad in one of Kara’s fluffy bathrobes. As soon as she walks in, they look up from what they’re doing.

“Morning,” they say, smiling sweetly as they continue unscrewing the broken door of the cabinet from the rest of Kara’s kitchen.

“What are you doing?” Kara rounds the kitchen island and lays a gentle kiss to the corner of Alex’s mouth. “You know I have super speed, right? I can have this place cleaned up in a matter of seconds. You didn’t have to get out of bed just for that.” The next kiss finds purchase behind Alex’s ear, and her alpha cups the back of her neck.

“I woke up early, and you looked too peaceful to disturb,” Alex reveals, putting aside the screwdriver in her hand and pulling Kara into a proper kiss. Her mouth is minty fresh, her teeth having clearly already been brushed, and Kara feels a little bad that she hasn’t bothered with it so far. But Alex doesn’t seem to mind. “You’re not mad, are you?”

“No,” Kara replies, curling her hands around Alex and pulling them into a hug. “I’m just glad you’re here.”

Alex’s heart skips a beat at that, and Kara knows she’s home.

+++

A week later, J’onn is proven right on his theory.

The attacks on Kara were perpetrated with a legion ring.

Thankfully, Kara isn’t a fool, and she knows where she can get the help she needs.

And after all of that is settled, she finally goes on her date with Alex.

The action movie is average at best, but Kara doesn’t care. Sitting in the back making out with Alex more than makes up for wasting a good twenty dollars on the movie going experience.

**Author's Note:**

> you have no idea how LONG it took me to FINISH THIS
> 
> i wrote two university papers in between sessions of this, and it took LESS TIME
> 
> hope you enjoyed !!
> 
> if you want to support me, find me on tumblr @goshdarnitjay
> 
> [ **the prompts that sparked this are** : fluff, domestic, when ppl remember kara is an Alien refugee from Krypton, hurt/comfort, fluffy smut, the spicy smut, Butch Alex, genderqueer alex, non-traditional abo(omega kara), domestic, angst with happy ending]


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